That's a good one. We can't agree on anything here.

Would taht be a subjective best or one based on science and measurments, subjective listening choices are just personal preferences ain't they? But if you can't quantify and measure the thing, there is no starting point ...why would ya not carae if the amp is 100 piddle watts or 1000 almost there watts, if you want hi fi, you wouldn't look at the 100w clock radio, measurements are needed.

In the case of amplifiers it could be a drop test off the Eiffel Tower

The amplifier that sets off more Seismic tremble monitors wins

Quote:
I am new to the forum but has been an avid reader of the magazine...my question to anyone, is there a contest for home audio, similar to the car audio world? Like a sound off competition?
Since there seems to be a lot of experts in the industry, wouldn't it be awesome if there was some type of judging best in class of some sort. Gather up all those with golden ears in one big convention center, & they can probably come up with the best gear for every category they can come up with.

This sort of pernicious idea has already insinuated itself into both of the major Hi Fi publications.

TAS has an annual "Editors' Choice" set of awards, and Stereophile has "Components of the Year."

That sort of Academy Award thing might sell copies, but why would we want something like this or a 'Sound Off' award in the first place? So socially self-conscious audiophiles can say, "Well, my CD player won Component of the Year?"

We already have a Recommended Components list that assigns a letter grade hierarchy to audio gear, as well.

Heck, if this thing gets any more contest-like, we'll end up with a hobby like those tastebud-retarded wine hobbiests who buy and brag without ever actually experiencing what they are talking about.

A pox on contests in audio, I say.

(Disclaimer: Just being iconoclastic. Welcome to the forum, by the way.)

However...

It is a bit fun to try and picture the Component of the year ceremony...

JA: "And this year's Gordon (like Oscar, Tony, or Emmy) for Component of the Year goes to..."

[Fiddles with envelope, opens it, looks around the room to add drama.]

JA: "...goes to the Musical Fidelity 550K Supercharger!"

[Golf claps from audience.]

JA: "Accepting this award, on behalf of the 550K is Antony Michaelson, producer of the 550K. Congratulations, Antony."

[Antony is handed his golden Gordon statuette by a statuesque blonde chick who can't spell 'audiophile,' let alone describe what the product does, but she looks great.]

Antony: "Thank you JA. The 550K couldn't be here tonight, but I'm sure if it could it would say it would like to thank the Audio Academy for this prestigious award and that it couldn't have done it alone. If it weren't for the engineers at Musical Fidelity, all the products that have come before, and even the one Musical Fidelity product that Stereophile has not reviewed, it would not have been able to accomplish what it has. In fact, without the amplifiers that it has worked with so closely, none of this would have been possible. The 550K expresses its deep gratitude and...[orchestra starts to play over Mr. Michaelson and the rest of what he appears to be saying cannot be heard. Bimbo takes his arm and marches him out of view to stage left.]

I could dig that.

Welcome, tebs!

And nice job, Buddha!

While I like "golf claps", I relish "In fact, without the amplifiers that it has worked with so closely, none of this would have been possible."